The Paul Lambert thread - poll reset after our capitulation to Hull

[not3bad]

Stop bed wetting we're 11th, 12th, 13th...

We win some we lose some. It is what it is, mid-table!

Hmmm.

When it gets to 18th is the time to really panic.

[Villafirst]

Whereas last season there were several teams safe and in mid table this year there are 10 scrapping to avoid the drop and fighting for points.

It must take a proper pessimist to look at that and conclude that it is more likely that we'll be relegated than it was last year.

I am not sure how its possible to square the idea that Cardiff, Palace, West Brom, Sunderland or Fulham, as an example will find a way of finishing above us. That's not a position we want to be in of course, dogging it out, but if we're addressing the narrow issue of being worse of this year than last, then I certainly do not see it.

8 defeats in 13 home games is shocking. Benteke was scoring for fun last year - he ain't this season. I can't see us winning 5 of the last 10 games like last season - we played some good suff in that spell. Also, Matt Lowton was very good, but lately, he can't even make the bench. Sylla came in and did well, but he looks a pale shadow of last year. Is it the crap coaching/tactics dragging these players down? It seems to be a common denominator; even Bertrand seems to have caught the disease.

[ChicagoLion]

Whereas last season there were several teams safe and in mid table this year there are 10 scrapping to avoid the drop and fighting for points.

It must take a proper pessimist to look at that and conclude that it is more likely that we'll be relegated than it was last year.

I am not sure how its possible to square the idea that Cardiff, Palace, West Brom, Sunderland or Fulham, as an example will find a way of finishing above us. That's not a position we want to be in of course, dogging it out, but if we're addressing the narrow issue of being worse of this year than last, then I certainly do not see it.

8 defeats in 13 home games is shocking. Benteke was scoring for fun last year - he ain't this season. I can't see us winning 5 of the last 10 games like last season - we played some good suff in that spell. Also, Matt Lowton was very good, but lately, he can't even make the bench. Sylla came in and did well, but he looks a pale shadow of last year. Is it the crap coaching/tactics dragging these players down? It seems to be a common denominator; even Bertrand seems to have caught the disease.

My big concern is moral, last season even though te results were bad you felt that if they could get every one fit that they would have a chance and because of the goal threat from Benteke, Weiman and Gabby. This time it looks like they are already tired  and the goal threat has deserted us. We are just as capable of going on a god damn awful run that will take us into April needing snookers. Lose to Norwich and we are in deep shit.

[olaftab]

Actually he is seeing out his contract at Feyenoord as he believes he has taken them as far as he can. I assume you just checked Wiki and made the assumption that he has 'failed' at Feyenoord just because he hasn't won anything there, not realising the mess they were in before he took charge and the modest resources he has worked under. To turn them into title-contenders has been an extraordinary achievement.

Except they are not title contenders and 4th in an average European League.

[olaftab]

Let's look at teams with  "Foreign" Coaches:
Fulham
Cardiff
Sunderland
West Brom

And "home grown" Coaches

Crystal Palace
Stoke
Norwich
Aston Villa
Hull

So with teams in similar predictment  the foreign coaches are not doing very well.

[Isa]

Except they are not title contenders and 4th in an average European League.

Three points off second you forgot to add. Why don't you compare their squad and resources with the other teams in the top-seven and then get back to me as to why he has 'failed' at Feyenoord and what you would class as success?

Let's look at teams with  "Foreign" Coaches:
Fulham
Cardiff
Sunderland
West Brom

And "home grown" Coaches

Crystal Palace
Stoke
Norwich
Aston Villa
Hull

So with teams in similar predictment  the foreign coaches are not doing very well.

Not really a legitimate comparision for a number of reasons. Poyet, for example, has picked up more points since he took charge of Sunderland than a lot of the other managers on that list. Hardly his fault he inherited them when they had picked up one point from their first seven games. Let's not forget the great job that their last British manager was doing shall we?

Mel and Solskjær have only been at their respective clubs for a month or so. Magath has only been at Fulham for one game. All three have walked into a complete mess and haven't had the luxury of a pre-season or summer window as people like Hughton and Lambert have.

[Mister E]

There's a lot of people on here wanting Lambert out and to be honest they're fully within their rights to do so. If he got the sack tomorrow, he couldn't really have too many complaints. However, sacking him is the easy thing to do. Finding a replacement is harder.

I'm not saying don't sack him, but if we went down that road, we'd need someone to come in who is not only better, not only available but they need to want to come. Posting stuff like, 'lets sack him and bring in Laudrup or Belisia' (whatever his name is) is too bloody easy to post on a forum. In real life, it's a bit more difficult.

Lambert ain't going anywhere in the short or even medium term. Why?
- We know (from experience) that Lerner is unlikely to have been running a file on "Potential Managers I may need to Call Upon" and so it'd take the current administration at least 3 weeks to bring in a credible replacement (whether temporary or permanent).
- We can also speculate that Lerner is scarred from the experience of the last four years and is therefore highly unlikely to pull the trigger.
- Finally, he'll be persuaded that Lambert can repeat the escapology trick he pulled last season (despite the evidence that this season actually looks gloomier than last).

I seriously do not see the bullet being shot anytime soon so we're stuck with what we've got right now.
For me, the challenge is how to get more from the players and whether Lambert can grow a pair, admit his mistakes and rectify the way we're approaching and playing the games; particularly
at home, where we will either secure or screw up our Premiership future.

[cdbearsfan]

Let's look at teams with  "Foreign" Coaches:
Fulham
Cardiff
Sunderland
West Brom

And "home grown" Coaches

Crystal Palace
Stoke
Norwich
Aston Villa
Hull

So with teams in similar predictment  the foreign coaches are not doing very well.

The Fulham manager has only been there five minutes and Poyet has improved Sunderland immensely, I think it's unfair to judge that they are "not doing very well".

In any case we should be aiming to catch up with Everton, or at least Southampton, who have foreign managers who are doing pretty well. I don't want to be battling relegation every year. We're not Coventry.

[eastie]

Let's look at teams with  "Foreign" Coaches:
Fulham
Cardiff
Sunderland
West Brom

And "home grown" Coaches

Crystal Palace
Stoke
Norwich
Aston Villa
Hull

So with teams in similar predictment  the foreign coaches are not doing very well.

What a ridiculous comparison .

[JUAN PABLO]

Let's look at teams with  "Foreign" Coaches:
Fulham
Cardiff
Sunderland
West Brom

And "home grown" Coaches

Crystal Palace
Stoke
Norwich
Aston Villa
Hull

So with teams in similar predictment  the foreign coaches are not doing very well.

What a ridiculous comparison .

agree

[LTA]

No point sacking him now.  11 games where a new man has to assess the squad, get his own ideas across while games come thick and fast in a dog-fight?  But I would certainly review his position at the end of the season, as opposed to offering him a new deal.

Slightly off-topic, the Shearer saga at Newcastle summed up Shearer for what he is.  He waited until they were all but down before he took the job knowing if they stopped up it was down to him, but if they went down it wasn't his fault.  This is a man who had the nerve to express concern that people throwing coins onto the field would lead to someone losing their sight.  Hypocrite of the highest order.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Let's look at teams with  "Foreign" Coaches:
Fulham
Cardiff
Sunderland
West Brom

And "home grown" Coaches

Crystal Palace
Stoke
Norwich
Aston Villa
Hull

So with teams in similar predictment  the foreign coaches are not doing very well.

The Fulham manager has only been there five minutes and Poyet has improved Sunderland immensely, I think it's unfair to judge that they are "not doing very well".

In any case we should be aiming to catch up with Everton, or at least Southampton, who have foreign managers who are doing pretty well. I don't want to be battling relegation every year. We're not Coventry.

Indeed. The manager with the best recent form from that list of clubs is Pullis which only highlights how bad things are.

[Chris Jameson]

Slightly off-topic, the Shearer saga at Newcastle summed up Shearer for what he is.  He waited until they were all but down before he took the job knowing if they stopped up it was down to him, but if they went down it wasn't his fault.  This is a man who had the nerve to express concern that people throwing coins onto the field would lead to someone losing their sight.  Hypocrite of the highest order.

I don't understand the coin throwing comment, why does that make him a hypocrite?

[PaulWinch again]

I don't think it really matters whether it's a 'foreign' or a domestic manager, what we need is someone who is a good manager.

[eastie]

Slightly off-topic, the Shearer saga at Newcastle summed up Shearer for what he is.  He waited until they were all but down before he took the job knowing if they stopped up it was down to him, but if they went down it wasn't his fault.  This is a man who had the nerve to express concern that people throwing coins onto the field would lead to someone losing their sight.  Hypocrite of the highest order.

I don't understand the coin throwing comment, why does that make him a hypocrite?

Maybe because he booted Ugo in the eye?